NBA Power Rankings Update: The Los Angeles Clippers Don't Need a Star to Get Things Done
Teams Ranked 20th to 11th
The Minnesota Timberwolves climb into the middle tier, the Detroit Pistons take a leap, the Sacramento Kings come back down to earth a bit, and the Portland Trail Blazers slide out of our top-10.
| Ranking | Team | Record | nERD | Last Ranking | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Brooklyn Nets | 8-14 | 45.1 | 18 | -2 |
| 19 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 11-11 | 45.2 | 25 | 6 |
| 18 | San Antonio Spurs | 10-11 | 46.1 | 16 | -2 |
| 17 | Sacramento Kings | 10-11 | 47.1 | 15 | -2 |
| 16 | Detroit Pistons | 11-7 | 49.3 | 20 | 4 |
| 15 | Los Angeles Lakers | 12-9 | 51.8 | 14 | -1 |
| 14 | Portland Trail Blazers | 13-8 | 52.3 | 6 | -8 |
| 13 | Dallas Mavericks | 10-9 | 52.6 | 17 | 4 |
| 12 | New Orleans Pelicans | 11-11 | 54.0 | 11 | -1 |
| 11 | Memphis Grizzlies | 12-8 | 54.6 | 12 | 1 |
Risers
The Minnesota Timberwolves take a well-deserved leap into the middle tier after going 4-0 over the last week. They've racked up seven victories in nine games since parting ways with Jimmy Butler, so it turns out they can win without him. After starting the season 4-9, they now sit at 11-11, and are only a mere half-game out of eighth place in the Western Conference.
The Detroit Pistons have won three in a row and seven of their last nine. They now improbably sit in fourth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-7, thanks in large part to their ninth-ranked defense (defensive rating of 108.5). The addition of Dwane Casey -- last year's Coach of the Year -- seems to be paying off, and it doesn't hurt that Blake Griffin has been healthy enough to play all 18 games for the team so far this season. They're schedule is about to get very road-heavy, so let's see if they can keep this up.
Fallers
The Sacramento Kings have been one of the biggest surprises so far this season, getting out to a 10-8 start and jockeying for a playoff position later than anyone expected them to. They've come back down to earth a bit lately, however, losing three in a row and seven of their last 11. They now sit in 11th in the Western Conference with a record of 10-11, and will have some work to do if they want to keep their chances of making the postseason for the first time in 13 years alive. Despite their admirable start, we only give them a 1.9% chance of making it at this time.
The Portland Trail Blazers were one of the hottest teams in the Association to start the year, rattling off a 10-3 record over their first 13 games. They have lost five of their last eight since then, but still sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with a respectable 13-8 record. Their recent schedule was a little tough and road-heavy, so we'll see if they can right the ship this week with a couple home games on the horizon.
